The Champion Hurdle 2010

I find the whole Binocular saga rather unsatisfactory .

First, a muscle problem is diagnosed but not specified and he is out for the season. Then we are told a full body scan has found nothing - yet FranK Berry is then quoted as saying he has had a " little bit of treatment " .

Today it is decided he runs after apparently schooling well and pleasing - pleasing whom AP ? Henderson ? JP ?

There is also a reference to " gurus " being happy with him - which suggests that there was a problem after all .

Why all the obfuscation?

PS I now hear there is speculation that he has been undergoing a growth spurt !
 
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Ardross said:
I find the whole Binocular saga rather unsatisfactory .

First, a muscle problem is diagnosed but not specified and he is out for the season. Then we are told a full body scan has found nothing - yet FranK Berry is then quoted as saying he has had a " little bit of treatment " .

Today it is decided he runs after apparently schooling well and pleasing - pleasing whom AP ? Henderson ? JP ?

There is also a reference to " gurus " being happy with him - which suggests that there was a problem after all .

Why all the obfuscation?


PS I now hear there is speculation that he has been undergoing a growth spurt !
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His odds have taken somewhat of a growth spurt as well! Might sound outlandish but wouldnt surprise me if Binocular went off close to favourite come tuesday
 
Byrnes went on: "It was very strange because he didn't go off his food and looked well in himself, it was just that he was coughing.
"There was no virus or anything, none of the other horses have coughed so it really is a bit of a mystery.
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A mystery indeed
 
Solwhit, one of the leading fancies for Tuesday’s Smurfit Kappa Champion Hurdle, will travel over to England after scoping clean this morning.
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His participation was thrown into some doubt when trainer Charles Byrnes revealed the five-time Grade One winner had started coughing earlier in the week.


However, Byrnes is satisfied that the six-year-old is well enough to take his chance and he will leave for Prestbury Park later today.​
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There was nothing wrong with that horse imo.

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I was wondering why CH had shortened up with seven or eight firms today.

Reportedly worked in blinkers during the week and "worked brilliantly".
 
I backed Binocular, Punjabi and Celestial for this months ago and have resisted the temptation to back any of the younger brigade against them (although I've be toying with the idea of possibly Medermit and Zaynar on the day).

Work reports from Binocular and Celestial have been tip-top and Punjabi appears to be in very good order. So it's coming back to these three with the younger crew having it all to do.
 
Whatever about the specifics of Solwhit, the Byrnes stable are worried about the form of their horses...it has to be a real concern for Solwhit fans, and I'm one of them
 
Bobbyjo said:
Whatever about the specifics of Solwhit, the Byrnes stable are worried about the form of their horses...it has to be a real concern for Solwhit fans, and I'm one of them
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Yes Solwhit for me was the plausible one of this year's Champion debutantes, but he can't be on my mind now.
 
The ground thing has been blown completely out of proportion - testing ground at Leopardstown is a fair enough excuse but he has handled soft ground in the past plenty of times.
 
Remember too that those that are hitting peak form now will reap the rewards. Forget what they did when they were out of form and look to what we know them to be capable of.
 
SteveM said:
Remember too that those that are hitting peak form now will reap the rewards. Forget what they did when they were out of form and look to what we know them to be capable of.
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So you are ruling Celestial Halo out then - he had a career best on his first run of the season! :p
 
Galileo said:
So you are ruling Celestial Halo out then - he had a career best on his first run of the season! :p
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...exactly, so if he's capable of that and he's working well, maybe DO isn't completely barking up the wrong tree after all. He's a big enough price to take a chance on anyway.
 
Kauto said:
His odds have taken somewhat of a growth spurt as well! Might sound outlandish but wouldnt surprise me if Binocular went off close to favourite come tuesday
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...and not only close to favourite, but very close to justifying it!
 
Not sure if this has been posted on any of the 29 previous pages but have been to the official Cheltenham Preview tonight at the racecourse and it's been pointed out that Simon Claisse has move the last flight of hurdles further up the course so that the run in is only 160-170yds. Panel seemed to think this should suit Go Native ideallywho could use his speed in any sprint to the line.
 
Can anyone remember why Zaynar drifted last year. He was (I think) around 4s for the Triumph leading up to the Festival and eventually flip-flopped with Walkon and started 11/2. Did this drift revolve around his work?
 
Euronymous said:
Can anyone remember why Zaynar drifted last year. He was (I think) around 4s for the Triumph leading up to the Festival and eventually flip-flopped with Walkon and started 11/2. Did this drift revolve around his work?
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Yes he worked very lazily at Kempton last year in the public schooling session.
 
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